Shielded X-ray radiation apparatus

A shielded X-ray radiation apparatus is provided comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray attenuation shield including an elongate cavity to house the X-ray source and incorporating a region to accommodate a sample, a neutron attenuation shield, and a gamma attenuation shield. The neutron attenuation shield is situated adjacent to and substantially surrounds the X-ray attenuation shield and the gamma attenuation shield is adjacent to and substantially surrounds the neutron attenuation shield. In some embodiments a removable sample insertion means is provided to insert samples into the elongate cavity and which is composed of adjacent blocks of material, each respective block having a thickness and a composition which substantially matches the thickness and a composition of one of the X-ray attenuation, neutron attenuation and gamma-ray attenuation shields.